Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
  • B23Q11/00—Accessories fitted to machine tools for keeping tools or parts of the machine in good working condition or for cooling work; Safety devices specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools
  • B23Q11/14—Methods or arrangements for maintaining a constant temperature in parts of machine tools
  • B23Q11/143—Methods or arrangements for maintaining a constant temperature in parts of machine tools comprising heating means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
  • B23Q11/00—Accessories fitted to machine tools for keeping tools or parts of the machine in good working condition or for cooling work; Safety devices specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools
  • B23Q11/14—Methods or arrangements for maintaining a constant temperature in parts of machine tools
  • B23Q11/141—Methods or arrangements for maintaining a constant temperature in parts of machine tools using a closed fluid circuit for cooling or heating
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
  • G01B5/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
  • G01B5/0011—Arrangements for eliminating or compensation of measuring errors due to temperature or weight
  • G01B5/0014—Arrangements for eliminating or compensation of measuring errors due to temperature or weight due to temperature

Definitions

• This invention relates to apparatus for supporting components and is particularly but not exclusively conc ⁇ erned with support structures for use with high accuracy measuring and checking machines.
• support apparatus comprising elongate means having a through passage, heating means provided in the passage, and means for controlling the heating means whereby to be capable of maintaining the temperature of the apparatus at a level at or above the ambient temperature.
• the heating means comprises one or more electrically heated strips which can be located centrally in the passage.
• the elongate means comprises a plurality of linear tubular elements connected together in a rectangular configuration, particularly to form a base guideway of a measuring machine.
• the elongate means may be formed of a lightweight material such as steel or a granite composite material, and external insulation may be provided.
• Fan means may be provided within the elongate tubular means to move air therethrough and thereby assist in providing an even distribution of temperature throughout the apparatus.
• Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on AAAA of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a section on B-B of Fig. 2.
• a guideway base for use in a three axis co-ordinate measuring machine comprises a first pair of elongate tubular components 10 interconnected at their respective ends by a pair of tubular components 12 of reduced length whereby to define a rectangular configur ⁇ ation with a continuous passage therethrough.
• an arrangement of elongate tubular struts 14 ext ⁇ end between inwardly facing external walls of the elements 10,12 in any suitable arrangement.
• the elements 10,12 and the struts 14 are formed of a lightweight material, prefer ⁇ ably steel or a granite composite material comprising granite chippings and epoxy.
• a strip 16 incorporating one or more resistance wires is located within the elements 10,12 and the- struts 14 to extend around the base.
• the strip 16 is preferably located centrally of the elements 10,12 by being suspended by arms 17 from side walls thereof, so as to avoid creating temperature gradients in the walls of the elements 10,12.
• the strip 16 is appropriately connected in an electrical circuit (not shown) for heating of the strip and thereby the base.
• Additional heating strips may be used as necessary and in a modification the strip 16 may not extend around the whole base.
• External insulation is provided for the elements 10,12 in order to avoid a temperature gradient across the walls.
• the insulation may be in a spaced relation with the external walls of the elements 10,12 to provide an air layer and it is envisaged that there may be provision for air to exit from the passage in the base into the spacing between the external walls and the insulation layer.
• the heating circuit controls the heating strip such that the temperature of the base structure is maintained at a constant level, at or above the ambient temperature. In this way changes in the ambient tempera ⁇ ture do not result in any thermal expansion of the material of the base structure and therefore distortion and loss of measuring accuracy can be avoided.
• the configuration of the base structure may differ from that described and shown and other suitable heating means may be provided internally of the elements.
• the structure may be formed of any other suitable. material, and may be other than a machine base.
• the structure may take the form of a column and/or bridge of a co-ordinate measuring machine.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Machine Tool Units (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analyzing Materials Using Thermal Means (AREA)
• Testing Of Devices, Machine Parts, Or Other Structures Thereof (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10634830

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (14)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1988
  • 1988-04-08 GB GB888808281A patent/GB8808281D0/en active Pending
• 1989
  • 1989-04-05 US US07/576,511 patent/US5125163A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-04-05 JP JP1504181A patent/JPH03505369A/ja active Pending
  • 1989-04-05 WO PCT/GB1989/000347 patent/WO1989009920A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1989-04-05 DE DE89904580T patent/DE68907411T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-04-05 EP EP89904580A patent/EP0452310B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (5)

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